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2 SheetsSheet 1. H. G. HART.

GAS ENGINE.

(No Model.)

No. 588,062. Patented Aug. 10,1897.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. O. HART.

GAS ENGINE.

No. 588,062. Patented Aug. 10,1897.-

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY O. HART, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE HENRY O. HART MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

GAS-ENGIN E.

- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 588,062, dated August 10, 1897.

Application filed Decem'ber 28, 1896. Serial Nox 617,295. (No model.)

[0 (LZZ whom it fit/1y concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY O. HART, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Gas-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

The chief object of this invention is .to provide new and improved means for utilizing the expansive force of an explosive mixture in an engine to energize a power mechanism and cause it to impart rotary motion to a shaft or wheel for the purpose of driving machinery, vehicles, or other apparatus.

The invention also has for its object to provide new and improved means for developing power by the rectilinear motion of a freeflying piston and utilizing such power to impart rotary motion to a shaft or wheel by which any apparatus, machine, or vehicle may be driven.

The invention also has for its object to provide novel means for transmitting motion from a free-flying piston to a rotary shaft or wheel by such provision of parts that lost m 0- tion and noise are avoided, jointed rods or toggle-joints are unnecessary, and a constant power of uniform leverage is econom ically obtained.

These objects are accomplished in the manner and by the means hereinafter described and claimed, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which 1 Figure 1 is a broken side elevation of sufficient of the power engine or motor to illustrate my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of one end portion of the engine-cylinder toclearly show the free-flying piston, the inlet and exhaust valves, and the igniting device. Fig. 4: is a detail plan view of the inlet-valve and the device whereby it is operated by the action of the piston. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the same, and Figs. 6 and 7 are detail plan views clearly showing the ports in the lower disk of the inlet-valve and the ports in the inlet-valve seat.

In order to enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will now describe the same in detail, referring to the drawings, wherein The numeral 1 indicates the framework of the engine, which may be a part of the body of any vehicle provided with wheels, if the motor is to be employed for propelling a vehicle. The frame, however, may be stationary and of any construction to suit the conditions required, if the motor is to be employed for driving machinery. The frame,

as here represented, comprises parallel side and 12 at its end portions which are coinci (lent with the pulleys 7 and 8 of the sleeve 6. The sleeve 9 is also provided with a pulley 13, which is here shown as located centrally between the pulleys 10 and 12. The sleeves and pulleys above mentioned are susceptible of freely turning in one direction independ- 'ently of the shafts 2 and 3, but are prevented from turning in the opposite direction independent of the shafts through the medium of suitable clutches 14 and 15, arranged in proper operative connection with the shafts and the pulleys 8 and 12 and constructed in any manner suitable for the purpose stated.

The lower sides of the pulleys 8 and 12 and the lower sides of the pulleys 7 and 10 are positively connected by flexible connections 16. The upper sides of the pulleys '7 and 8 are connected by flexible connections 17 with a reciprocating cross-head 18, attached to the piston-rod 19 of a gas-motor engine, hereinafter fully explained. The cross-head 18 is also connected by flexible connections 20 with the upper sides of the pulleys 10 and 12 in such manner that when the cross-head is reciprocated the motion of all the pulleys referred to are synchronized.

The pulley 13 oft-he sleeve 9 is connected by a flexible connection 21 with one end ofa power-spring 22, which has its other end 0011- nected with a stationary part 23, which may be a part of the engine-frame ora part of the body of a wheeled vehicle.

The flexible connections 16, 17, and above referred to are secured at one end to the pulleys 7, 8, 10, and 12 through the medium of any devices suitable for the purpose, and the same remarks apply to the end of the connection 21,which is attached to the pulley 13.

The flexible connections referred to may be ordinary ropes, wire cables, or metal bands. The cross-head 18 travels upon a suitable horizontal guideway 22, attached to or forminga part of the frame of the engine, and upon this frame is mounted in any desired manner the cylinder 23 of a gas-motor engine, having afree-fiying piston 24 secured to the inner end of the piston-rod 19. The engine-cylinder is provided at one end, which for the purpose of explanation I will term the rear end, with a valve-casing 25 of any construction or form suitable for the purpose. This valve-casing is provided with an explosive-mixture inlet 2 and outlet 3*, an inlet-valve, hereinafter explained, and an exhaust-valve 26, connected with the inner end of a spindle 27, acted upon by a spring 28, which tends to constantly press the spindle 27 in the direction required to unseat the exhaust-valve.

The inlet-valve comprises a vertical spindle 29, having an upper disk or plate 30 and a lower valve disk or plate 31, provided with a plurality of inlet-ports 32. The lower end of the spindle 29is arranged in a seat 33, provided in the inlet-valve seat 34, which latter is constructed with a plurality of inlet-ports 35, corresponding with the ports 32 in the valve disk or plate 31. I have represented six ports 32 in the valve disk or plate 31 and a similar number in the valve-seat 34, but obviously the number of ports can be increased or diminished, and they may be of any desired form or shape suitable for the purpose in hand. i

The upper disk or plate G is constructed with a recess in its edge, the opposite edges of which provide radial contact-faces 36 and 37, which are designed tobe acted upon by a stud 38, rising from the rear end of a horizontal rod 39, which is connected to and moves with the free-flying piston in such manner that the motion of the piston will oscillate the inlet-valve and cause the ports 32 of the valvedisk 31 to move into and out of coincidence with the ports 35 of the'inlet-valve seat 34. The rod 39 is designed to pass under the disk or plate 30 when the free-flying piston 24 reaches the limit of its rearward or back stroke. The valve disk or plate 31 should be ground upon the valve-seat 34 to secure a tight joint between the ports.

The exhaust-valve 26 is moved to and held against its seat 40 through the medium of a spring yielding rod 41, extending through the piston 24. The rod 41 is provided with a collar 42, and between this collar and'an arm or abutment 43 is arranged a spring 44, the construction being such that when the free-flying piston reaches the limit of its rearward or back stroke the projecting end of the rod 41 properly closed, so that the piston can continue its back motion to aslight extent or until it reachesthe position represented in Fig. 3. In the backstroke of the piston the stud 38 of the rod 39 will strike the radial contactface 3'7 of the disk or plate 6, thereby rotating the valve disk or plate 31' for the purpose of opening the inlet-valve and of pressing the radial contact-face 36 in front of the stud 38, so that when the piston makesits forward stroke it can move a short distance before the stud 38 strikes the radial contact-face 36 and closes the inlet-valve. This provides for the proper introduction of the desired quantity of explosive mixture before the inlet-valve closes to shut ofi the passage of the mixture to the cylinder. The outer end of the inletvalve spindle 29 is acted upon by a suitable spring 45 to force the valve disk or plate 31 firmly against the inlet valve seat 34.

In the practical operation of a gas engine or motor constructed according to my invention when the free-flying piston 24 is at the rear end of the cylinder, as represented in Fig. 3, the ports in the valve disk or plate'31 register with the ports in the inlet-valve seat 34, and consequently if a suitable throttlevalve controlling the passage of compressed explosive mixture to the engine be opened the explosive mixture is forced through the inlet-valve into the cylinder and forces the piston forward against the action of the spring 22 until the stud 38 acts against the radial face 36 of the disk or plate 30, whereupon the inlet-valve will be closed. As the piston moves forward the exhaust-valve 26 is held in its closed position by the pressure of the gases against the inside of this valve. The explosive mixture is ignited by any appropriate devices when the piston reaches a suitable point in its forward motion. I'have represented in the drawings anigniting-rod 45, acted upon by a spring 46 and electrically connected with one pole of a battery or electric generator which has its other pole electrically connected with the cylinder. The

spring 46 presses the rod 45 inward, so thatthis rod is held in metallic contact with the piston 24 until the latter reachesa certainpoint in its forward travel, when the piston 4 separates from the rod so that a spark is formed which ignites the compressed explosive charge. The expansive force of the explosion drives the piston forward until the pressure of the gases in the cylinder is re duced to such a degree that the outward pressure against the exhaust-valve 26 is less than the power of the spring 28, whereupon the exhaust-valve opens and the burned gases can flow out. As the piston makes its working stroke under the influence of the expansive force of the ignited charge the powerspring 22 is stretched to develop power, so that the piston is swiftly drawn back to normal position by the power of the spring. When this occurs, the shafts 2 and 3 are rotated through the medium of the pulleys and clutches hereinbefore described. The rotary motion of the shafts may be utilized to drive machinery, vehicles, or any apparatus.

If the engine is used to propel a wheeled vehicle and shafts 2 and 3 are the front and rear axles of the vehicle, it is preferable to provide clutches, such as shown, for both pulleys 7 and 10, but obviously it is possible to dispense with the clutches in connection with one of the pulleys. If, however, it is desired to positively rotate both of the shafts 2 and 3, suitable clutches should be provided in connection with both of the pulleys referred to.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim isl. The combination with a cylinder, and a free-flying piston, of separated pulleys or wheels positively connected to turn in unison and operatively connected with the free-flying piston, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a cylinder, and a free-flying piston, of separated pulleys or wheels connected by flexible connections to move synchronously, and operatively connected with the free-flying piston, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a cylinder, and a free-flyin g piston, of shafts provided with pulleys or wheels, clutches which permit the pulleys or wheels to turn independently of the shafts in one direction, aconnection between the pulleys or wheels for causin them to move synchronously, and connections between the free-flying piston and the pulleys or wheels, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a cylinder, a freeflying piston, and means for introducing explosive mixture into the cylinder and exploding the same to move the piston, of separated pulleys or wheels, a flexible connection between the pulleys or wheels for causing them to move synchronously, connections between the free flying piston and the pulleys or wheels, and a spring placed under tension by the working stroke of the piston, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a free-fiying-piston engine, of pulleys having shafts and con nected at the top and bottom by flexible connections, a connection between the piston and a part of said flexible connections, whereby .the pulleys are oscillated when the piston reciprocates, a spring placed under tension by the flight of the piston, and a clutch by which one of the shafts is rotated in one direction by the oscillatory motion of the pulleys, substantially as described.

6. The combination with a free-flying-piston engine, of two shafts provided with pul leys, clutches arranged, respectively, in operative connection with said pulleys and acting in the same direction upon the shafts of the pulleys, flexible connections between the top and bottom portions of the pulleys, and a connection between the free-flying piston and a part of the said flexible connections, substantially as described.

7. The combination with a free-fiying-piston engine, having inlet and exhaust valves, of separated pulleys, flexible connections between the top and bottom portions of said pulleys, a connection between the free-flying piston and a part of said flexible connections, and devices operated by the piston to actuate the inlet and exhaust valves, substantially as described.

8. The combination with a free-flying-piston engine, of an oscillatory inlet-valve for governing the passage of explosive mixture to the engine-cylinder, separated pulleys connected at their top and bottom portions by flexible connections, a connection between the free-flying piston and a part of said flexible connections, and a device carried by the piston for oscillating the inlet-valve, substantially as described.

9. The combination with a cylinder, and a piston, of an oscillatory-inlet-valve disk or plate having ports and a spindle, a disk or plate secured to the spindle and having radial contact-faces, and a reciprocating rod having a stud adapted to strike against either of said radial contact-faces to oscillate said valve disk or plate, the radial contact-faces being arranged a sufflcient distance apart so that the stud is susceptible of some motion between said contact-faces, substantially as described.

10. The combination with a cylinder, and a piston, of an inlet-valve for controlling the passage of explosive mixture into the cylinder, an exhaust-valve, a spring which acts to unseat the exhaust-valve, and a device carried by the piston for seating the exhaustvalve, substantially as described.

11. The combination with a cylinder, and a piston, of means for controlling the passage of explosive mixture into the cylinder, an exhaust-valve, a spring acting to unseat the exhaust-valve, and a spring-yieldin g rod carried by the piston and acting to seat the exhaust-valve, substantially as described.

12. The combination with a cylinder, and a piston, of an oscillatory inlet-valve composed of a disk or plate having ports, a spindle and a disk or plate constructed with radial conioo IIO

tact-faces, and a rod connected with the pisthe pulleys or Wheels, substantially as and for IO ton and having a stud to act against either of said radial contact-faces, substantially as described.

13. The combination with a cylinder, and a free-flying piston, of pulleys or Wheels positively connected to turn in unison and operatively connected with the free-flying piston,

and a springhaving operative connection with the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing wit- IIGSSGS.

HENRY C. HART. Witnesses:

ALBERT H. NORRIS, GEO. W. REA. 

